


Replacement

by etrinh



Category: Call of Duty
Genre: M/M, Post-Atlas, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-16 15:23:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3493328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etrinh/pseuds/etrinh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After defeating Irons, Mitchell and Gideon are left to decide how the rest of their lives play out. Unsure of whether he should place his concern on himself or the people he cares about, Mitchell is left to wrestle with his inner conscience and a robotic arm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When The Dust Settles

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I received so much positive support for my first fic, so I've decided to start another. This one is going to be longer, containing chapters and dealing with sadder content (I think). This first chapter is just a start, so it's a little shorter. Anyway, I hope you like it!

_‘Am I dead yet?’_ Mitchell thought to himself, opening his eyes to the glaring fluorescent lights. 

The infirmary ceiling stared down at him as the hum and beep of the ECG beside him broke the silence. The walls were sterile, as was everything else he could see in the vicinity. Turning his head, he noticed a figure lying next to him in the adjacent bed. He had an IV attached into his right arm and various swabs from what looked like blood sample wounds. The victim had burn marks scattered across his face, as well as a deep gash just above his left eyebrow. Patches of his beard were singed, but his face was clean and appeared at peace. Turning back to face the ceiling, Mitchell was startled by a weak voice breaking from the man beside him.

“You’re up?” he asked. The accent was unmistakable.

“Gideon? Barely recognized you.” Mitchell replied, prompting him to consider what a mess he himself must currently look like. “How did you know I was awake?”

“You stopped snoring, mate.” Gideon said, softly. Something about the way that he spoke was unsettling to Mitchell. It lacked grit and was subdued; frankly not alike his captain at all.

“What’s wrong, Gideon?” Mitchell asked, turning to face his captain.

"Why do you think something is wrong?" Gideon inquired, cautiously.

"You don't sound like yourself." Mitchell replied. There was a long pause, the rhythmic beeping of the ECG heard clearly throughout the room. Suddenly, Mitchell heard sniffles and saw that Gideon began to visibly shake.

“Jack, I thought I’d lost you …” Gideon started, interrupted by soft sobs cracking through his cover. Bringing his hands up to his face, Gideon hid his tears from Mitchell. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Mitchell to see that he was broken, they were past that now. He just didn’t want the private to feel any more distressed. Regaining his composure, Gideon continued, “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to break down like that. Anyway, how are you feeling?”

Gideon was now facing him, staring at him with a look of desperation and exhaustion that resonated through Mitchell’s entire body.

“I’m alright. I have a throbbing headache, and everything hurts, but I’m alright.” Mitchell reassured. Mitchell felt tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

_‘Great,’_ he thought, _“now it’s my turn.’_

“Thank you.” Mitchell whispered. He didn’t know what else to say. The battered man lying beside him literally saved his life. He never betrayed him, even when it seemed possible, it never happened. He owed Gideon his life, and it hurt to know that without his left arm he’d be placed into Sentinel’s HQ duty, away from the battlefield.

Snapping Mitchell out of his thoughts, Gideon softly replied. 

“Like I said, I’ve got you mate. And-” Gideon stopped. His mind began to race and the anxiety in his chest became overwhelming. Taking a deep breath, he continued, “I love you.”

Mitchell’s ECG began to beep faster and faster.

“Jack?” Gideon pleaded, desperate for a response.

Mitchell looked up at the ceiling again, unable to meet his captain’s gaze. Gideon began to panic, afraid that he had slipped up, that he’d made a mistake. Then after a brief pause, Mitchell spoke, a tear rolling down the side of his face.

“I love you too. I love you more than you’ll ever know. I owe you my life, thank you.”

* * *

“Jack Mitchell?” spoke a voice in the background. 

Mitchell had no idea how long he’d passed out. After sharing their moment together, the two men were so emotionally exhausted that they both just drifted off in the silence.

Opening his eyes, Mitchell noticed that Dr. De-Silva had entered the room. He was a volunteer practitioner for Sentinel, and the team was grateful. Not a man of great stature, he still managed to always scare patients with his seriousness. Except when it came to Ilona, Mitchell, or Gideon. Speaking of which, the captain had sat up in his bed, listening attentively to what the doctor was about to say.

“Yes doctor?” Mitchell replied, sitting up as well.

“I have some good, and some not-so-good news.” Dr. De-silva started. “Good news, I found a prosthetic! Not-so-good news, it isn’t nearly as advanced as your last, but you were expecting that. Bad news …”

_‘Bad news?’_ Mitchell thought to himself.

“… the surgery to install your prosthetic is highly risky at the moment. Your chances are better if you wait a while for your nerve endings to heal, maybe two or three months from now. However, as you know, this means that you’ll have to miss out on the Atlas evac happening in three weeks time in New Baghdad. I’m going to leave the choice up to you Mitchell.” Dr. De-Silva finished.

Mitchell couldn’t believe what he had just heard. How could this happen after what _just_ happened! He couldn’t afford to leave Gideon, not now. Not after he affirmed that he loved him. Looking over to his captain, Mitchell shot a desperate face. Gideon could only look away, his opinion already made.

“Mitchell, I can’t make this decision for you.” Gideon said. “You already know what I want you to do. I’m sorry.”

“Well, I’m not going to pressure you right now.” Dr. De-Silva interrupted. “Sleep on it, and let me know by Friday, deal?”

Mitchell nodded, as the doctor left the room, closing the door behind him. Friday. That left him four days to decide not only his fate, but possibly the fate of his captain as well.

“Mitchell, I’ll be fine. I have Ilona, you know we can handle ourselves.” Gideon added.

“I know that, but I can’t.” Mitchell replied, looking up at Gideon, tears welling again in his eyes. “I just _can’t_.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the first chapter! What should Mitchell do? Let me know!


	2. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After waking up, Mitchell notices Gideon is missing. Finding out where he's gone, Mitchell can't help but get a little furious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't help but keep writing for this fic, so here's chapter 2! I hope you like it! Gideon/Mitchell just make me so happy inside it's ridiculous. :)

“Alright Private Mitchell, I’m going to need you to change and come with me. We’re going to run through the results of your blood test again and see if you’re up for discharge.” the nurse explained.

Sitting up in bed, Mitchell noticed that Gideon was already gone. He had no recollection of Gideon leaving, so Mitchell was slightly confused.

“Do you know where he went?” Mitchell asked the nurse.

“I’m sorry, Private Mitchell, but I am not able to disclose that information to you.” she replied.

Disheartened, Mitchell climbed out of bed, trying to establish his footing. It had only been a day since he’d been moved to the infirmary, but over a week since he had been admitted to ICU. A strong fighter, Mitchell recovered surprisingly well, much to the surprise of Dr. De-Silva.

Leaving the room to change, Mitchell caught sight of Ilona walking down the hall.

“Mitchell!” Ilona called out. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re already up and standing! You look great.”

Mitchell knew she was just being nice. Using the washroom last night, he noticed how battered and wounded his face was. Nevertheless, he was elated to finally see his friend.

“Ilona!” Mitchell exclaimed, going in for a tight hug. “I’m so glad you made it out alive. I was so worried.”

“You were worried? Gideon basically hauled you out of the Atlas building!” Ilona joked, chuckling. “Anyway, it looks like you’re busy, so I’ll come back to see you, okay?”

“Okay! By the way, have you seen Gideon?” Mitchell asked.

“No I haven’t!” Ilona answered, leaving quickly with a smile. 

Mitchell couldn’t help but feel something was up. Ilona was a notoriously good liar, so it was difficult to tell, but Mitchell found it hard to believe that nobody had seen Gideon. His bed was perfectly made, meaning he must’ve been discharged a while ago. Trudging into the washroom, Mitchell carefully wriggled his way into the Sentinel clothes provided to him, wincing as the stump of his left arm grazed against the fabric. A knock was suddenly heard on the door.

“Occupied!” Mitchell shouted.

“Mate, it’s me.” came the voice from the other side. Gideon.

Gingerly opening the door, Gideon came into view. His captain quickly looked away and cleared his throat.

“Um, Jack, your pants.” he said.

Looking down, Mitchell realized that he had yet to get into the cargo pants the nurse had given him. He was standing in his boxer briefs in full view of his captain and the embarrassment quickly made his cheeks warm.

“Oh god, sorry.” Mitchell said sheepishly grabbing the pants off the counter.

“It’s fine, Jack.” Gideon reassured. “Here let me help you.”

Having Gideon crouching down by his waist wasn’t helping the burning at the tip of his ears, but he didn’t try to fight it.

“So, where did you go this morning?” Mitchell inquired.

“Oh, uh, I had a meeting.” Gideon replied, standing up and straightening his jacket. Upon closer inspection, Mitchell realized what he meant.

“You’re wearing a Sentinel jacket! They’re sending you in _already_?” Mitchell asked furiously.

“Whoa mate, calm down! They're not sending me anywhere, we were just working out the logistics for the New Baghdad evac. We’re trying to find a way to prevent the possibility of a rogue leader.” Gideon explained.

“I can’t believe you’re doing all of this without me. You can’t even wait until Friday so I can decide if I can join you?” Mitchell pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Jack, but war doesn’t wait for anyone. I know how much you want to be there with me, but I need you to rest, to do this right.” Gideon said. The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

“COULD PRIVATE JACK MITCHELL PLEASE MAKE HIS WAY TO THE RADIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS WARD.” blared the intercom outside.

“I’ve got to go.” Mitchell said tartly, pushing Gideon aside and leaving him to stand alone in the washroom.

“Fuck me.” Gideon muttered to himself.

* * *

“Alright, please sign and initial in the spaces here.” stated the receptionist. Mitchell was allowed to be discharged and return to his quarters. He was happy to leave the building, he always hated the infirmary. What was left of Sentinel HQ was slowly being rebuilt with the help of many international governments. After the successful defeat of Irons, many countries once again gained confidence in Sentinel and realized that the operation was all they had left. Soldiers came in left and right from all sorts of countries, as well as building, food, and medical supplies.

Turning into Residence Hall A, Mitchell was once again greeted by his captain, blocking the door into his room.

“Gideon, what are you doing?” Mitchell said bluntly.

“What the fuck am I doing? What the fuck are _you_ doing Mitchell?” Gideon replied. 

Mitchell was disappointed that Gideon addressed him by his last name, he liked the way that he said ‘Jack’.

“Mitchell, you can’t just blow me off like that! I know you hate the situation that you’ve been placed in, but you can’t place all that anger on me! I didn’t even fucking do anything!” Gideon shouted. Finishing his rant, Gideon noticed that Mitchell was shaking, eyes down at the floor, arms folded across his chest.

Sighing, he approached the private, resting his hands on Mitchell’s shoulders. “Jack, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have exploded at you like that.” Gideon reconciled, pulling Mitchell in closer. He started to rub circles into his back.

“Look,” Gideon started, “I don’t know what to do right now and it scares the shit out of me. I want you to be well and functioning, but I also secretly want you on the field.” Mitchell looked up at the latter comment. 

“However,” he continued, “I genuinely don’t think it’s worth you going through so much pain for. I don’t want this surgery to go south, Jack. You said you owe me your life, but I want that repayment in full. I want to be able to spend your life with mine, for as long as I can, whether it be partners in battle or otherwise. Almost losing you has made me realized, more so than before, that I could easily be the next to go. I’m not invincible, and neither are you. Please think this over, for me?”

Mitchell didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded, wrapping his right arm around Gideon's waist. He breathed in a whiff of Gideon's hair, which smelled nice as per usual.

“I’m putting in a good word for you, Jack, in case you do want to fight with us in the evac.” Gideon said. “Just don’t rush it.”

Separating himself from Mitchell, Gideon looked up at the 6’3” brunette. Never having been this close to Mitchell before, he hadn’t realized just how much taller he actually was. The surprise must’ve shown on his face because Mitchell started to laugh. 

“You look cute from up here.” he chuckled.

“Oh, shut up!” Gideon joked. Before he knew what was happening, Mitchell leaned down and kissed Gideon softly. Blinking in confusion, Gideon relaxed and let his arms travel up Mitchell’s hair, running his fingers through his messy locks. Mitchell kissed him harder, seemingly out of desperation. Pushing Gideon against the wall he dug his tongue into Gideon’s mouth, eliciting a moan that reverberated through Mitchell’s skull. Gideon slowly moved his hands down to Mitchell’s ass, before a loud cough interrupted them both.

“Um, boys?” came a thick Russian accent. Both Mitchell and Gideon immediately stood at attention, flustered and embarrassed that they’d been caught. 

“I’ll just meet you two in the cafeteria, okay?” Ilona suggested.

“Yeah, good idea.” exclaimed Mitchell and Gideon in unison. After Ilona had left, the two men just stared at each other and laughed.

“Can we finish that after lunch?” Mitchell teased, winking.

“We’ll see, private.” said Gideon, kissing Mitchell again before walking past him towards the cafeteria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Friday is rolling up soon, what do you think Mitchell should do? Let me know!


	3. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitchell decides on his fate, without realizing how he's going to conceal it from the man he cares about most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little bit shorter, but no worries because I've got two chapter uploads today! I guess you could say I didn't really get any sleep last night.

“Are you sure about this, private? I need to know that you are aware of all the possible consequences of this decision.” Dr. De-Silva stated. “There is the potential of tissue scarring, signal transduction malfunction, and even complete failure. You’re strong, I’ll give you that, but your body is also weak right now and one mishap could lead to a short circuit that would shut down your entire nervous system. I’m not saying I’m not qualified, or that it’s not possible, but chances of avoiding mishap are much better if you wait.”

“Please doctor! I know the consequences and I’m not afraid of them. I’ve never been afraid to die. I want to do this … I need to do this.” Mitchell pleaded. It was early morning in Dr. De-Silva’s office where Mitchell was attempting to convince his doctor of performing the surgery for his prosthetic. “I couldn’t wait until Friday, I needed to tell you. When can the surgery happen?”

“Well, since you’re so eager, I can get you in Friday evening at the earliest.” Dr. De-Silva said.

“Done.” Mitchell replied, determined to make it happen.

“Does your friend know about your decision?” Dr. De-Silva asked curiously.

“No, not yet. Please don’t tell him, I want to do that.” Mitchell remarked.

“Don’t worry, private, I’m under confidentiality oath. I’ll see you Friday at 17:00, sharp.” the doctor replied.

* * *

“Jack! Fuck, there you are, I’ve been looking all over for you.” Gideon exclaimed. Mitchell was sitting in the cafeteria for lunch, reading a magazine provided by Sentinel that showcased new weapons and Exo upgrades.

_‘He’s cursing again, must be getting back into the swing of things.’_ Mitchell thought to himself, chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” Gideon asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” Mitchell replied, “what do you want?”

“I saw you leaving the infirmary earlier.” Gideon started. “Did you meet with the doctor?”

“Yeah, I did.” Mitchell replied, quickly averting his eyes back to the magazine, avoiding Gideon’s stare. 

“So? What happened? Have you decided what you wanted to do already?” Gideon persisted.

“Uh, yeah I have. I’ve chosen to … wait on it.” Mitchell lied. He knew that was what his captain wanted to hear, and Gideon’s expression confirmed that. Mitchell felt incredibly guilty for lying, but for now it was the best he could do without upsetting Gideon.

“That’s great, Jack!” Gideon said, relieved. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I would’ve supported you no matter what, but I’m glad you chose to wait.”

Mitchell felt a pang in his chest, knowing that Gideon was bluffing. 

“I can start talking to HQ to see what positions they can give you.” Gideon continued.

Mitchell froze in his seat, realizing the hole he had dug himself into. The situation was getting worse and worse and he needed to divert the subject.

“Hey, are you doing anything tonight?” Mitchell asked.

“Hm? Well no, but I was hoping to coordinate some sections for the evac. I’ve been speaking with some captains and-” Gideon explained, before Mitchell interrupted.

“How about we watch a movie tonight, with Ilona? Just some time for the team to catch up?” Mitchell suggested.

“Well, I really need to get this thing organized, it’s driving me fucking insane. Also, I can use that time to go to HQ and-” Gideon replied.

“Oh come on, it’ll be good for our team!” Mitchell interrupted again.

“Interrupt me one more time and I’m going to fucking punch you, Jack.” Gideon joked. “Fine, I’ll watch a movie with you and Ilona tonight. Happy?”

Mitchell grinned childishly at Gideon. “Yes, babe.”

“Babe?” Gideon said, surprised. “Well, alright then. Also, tell anyone I’ve gone soft and the surgery is going to be the last thing you have to worry about.”

Winking, the captain leaned down and gave Mitchell a kiss before leaving the cafeteria to continue working on the mission.

_‘What have I gotten myself into?’_ Mitchell thought, his heart sinking to his feet.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon and Mitchell was helping Ilona pick a movie to watch in the recreational room. The entire time, Mitchell felt restless about the situation earlier and felt like he needed to confide in someone. 

“Ilona, can I tell you something?” Mitchell started. He trusted her with his life. She was the badass sister he never had.

“Mitchell, I already caught you and Gideon, remember?” Ilona joked, causing Mitchell to blush. The ex-Spetsnaz walked over from the entertainment centre to sit next to Mitchell on the couch. “What do you want to tell me?”

“I’ve talked to the doctor and decided to go ahead with the surgery.” Mitchell admitted.

“Wait, what? Are you sure? Gideon told me it was really risky.” Ilona inquired. “Does he even know about this?”

Mitchell’s head sank to his chest. “I may have lied to him earlier.”

Ilona wasn’t going to go ahead and make judgements, she knew better than to assume that situations were one-sided. “Look, Mitchell, I can help you keep this secret, but how exactly do you plan on hiding _surgery_ from him?”

“I plan for him to find out after it’s already happened.” Mitchell explained. He was hoping that after Gideon had almost betrayed him in New Baghdad, that this wouldn’t be as bad of a break of trust. Of course, Mitchell didn’t feel good about this either; this isn’t exactly the kind of surprise someone hopes for.

“Well, I hope you know what you’re doing, Mitchell.” Ilona said, returning to the TV.

“Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a mess Mitchell's gotten himself into! Like I said, I posted two chapters today, so enjoy! (Warning, the next one is really just for all the Gideon/Mitchell shippers out there.)


	4. Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT
> 
> Gideon explores just how far he's willing to let Mitchell tear down his walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I was obssessed with SeraphHT's Problem/Solution fics and took inspiration to write this chapter. By the way, you should definitely go read those because they are, as Gideon would put it, ace.

Gideon looked really good while he was sleeping. At least that’s what Mitchell thought laying next to him in bed. It was against Sentinel protocol to sleep in someone else’s room, but neither Gideon or Mitchell really cared. The night before, Joker, who had disappeared after the mission in Antarctica, wandered unexpectedly into the rec room, interrupting their movie. Turns out he had taken some advice from Gideon and had been hiding as a special intelligence agent under the United States government to hide from Atlas until he had heard about the fall of Irons. That prompted him to return to Sentinel, where he had retrained for the last week and was preparing to reintegrate under Gideon’s command. All three men, and Ilona, caught up with each other until the early hours of the morning. When everyone had returned to their quarters, Gideon invited Mitchell to his room where they recounted the events of their final trial with Irons. Before either of them knew it, they’d both fallen asleep on Gideon’s bed. 

The sun was now slowly making its way into the room through the window. Gideon, almost on cue, started to stir from his slumber. Blinking a few times to adjust to the light, he turned his head and stared at Mitchell.

“Morning, Private.” Gideon whispered.

“Good morning.” Mitchell hummed. Gideon gave Mitchell a long, peculiar look before he spoke again.

“Have you ever…” Gideon asked curiously.

“Have I ever what?” Mitchell replied.

Gideon brushed his hand across Mitchell’s face, bristling the hairs of his beard. Bringing Mitchell’s lips to his, he gently gave them a kiss, brushing Mitchell’s bottom lip with his tongue, to which Mitchell obliged. Grabbing one of Gideon’s legs, Mitchell pulled him onto his back, his body in between Gideon’s. The two kissed passionately for a while until Mitchell suddenly felt a pair of hands slip into the waistband of his boxer briefs and grope his ass.

“Do you want to…” Gideon suggested, slyly throwing Mitchell a smirk.

“Yes, with you, anything.” Mitchell answered, breathily. This was his first time having sex with another man, but he was glad and reassured that of all people, it was Gideon. The captain, on the other hand, was apprehensive about having to break down his walls and open himself up, but he found Mitchell was very persuasive. Grabbing the bottom of the private’s t-shirt, Gideon pulled it off of his body, ruffling his hair as it came off. Mitchell reciprocated, grabbing Gideon’s sweats and pulling them down to his ankles, though clumsily due to the fact that he only had one arm. 

Sitting up, Gideon removed his shirt, as Mitchell rubbed his hand down the captain's torso, the chill taking him by surprise. Grabbing the waistline of Mitchell’s boxers, Gideon pulled them down with his sweats, leaving Mitchell completely naked. 

Breaking their kiss for a moment, Gideon grabbed Mitchell’s hand. “Here.” he said, as he leaned over to bite Mitchell gently on the neck. Mitchell felt his hand being brushed along Gideon’s leg, up towards his cock. Mitchell slowly wrapped his fingers around it, stroking gently. Gideon let out a quiet moan, smirking. Mitchell lowered himself down, kissing Gideon’s body as he went. Mitchell suddenly changed gears and licked up Gideon’s abdomen, starting from his happy trail, earning another moan out of his captain.

“You sure you’ve never done this before?” Gideon quipped.

Without a word, Mitchell bent down and wrapped his lips around the head of Gideon’s cock. Going slowly, Mitchell took his length into the back of his throat. With time, Gideon began to slowly thrust his hips, causing Mitchell to groan. Mitchell continued until he could taste Gideon’s precum, at which he stopped and slowly kissed his way back up to Gideon’s lips. 

“I want you to fuck me.” he whispered into Gideon’s mouth.

With a passionate kiss, Gideon grabbed Mitchell and pushed him onto his back.

“You ready?” Gideon asked, as he slowly slid a finger into Mitchell’s entrance. This made Mitchell bite his lip, a cue for Gideon to insert another. Slowly pulsating, Gideon warmed up Mitchell to the inevitable. Removing his fingers, Gideon pushed the head of his penis inside of Mitchell, the private’s head began to swim, somewhere between ecstasy and feeling completely numb.

“I promise I’ll go slow.” Gideon whispered as he leaned in for a kiss. Slowly thrusting his hips, Gideon made Mitchell squirm under him. Mitchell had completely lost himself with Gideon, all his vulnerability left in his captain’s hands. A sense of security and overwhelming happiness came over him. 

“It’s time you took the reigns.” Gideon said, flipping himself onto his back, Mitchell straddled over him. Mitchell slowly propped himself up, moving himself up and down against Gideon’s cock. Leaning in close to Gideon’s neck, Mitchell traced his captain’s beard with his mouth, only to once again meet his lips. Mitchell could taste the sweat off Gideon’s face, as their beards bristled against each other, all the sensations incredibly intense. 

“Fuck, I think I’m gonna cum!” Mitchell exclaimed. Still deeply caught in Gideon’s kiss, Mitchell came all across Gideon’s chest, an immense sense of calm and relief washing over his entire body.

“My turn.” Gideon said, as he rolled Mitchell onto his back. His cock at Mitchell’s face, Gideon came into the Mitchell’s mouth, the private swallowing it all back. Gideon leaned down for a final kiss, tasting himself inside of Mitchell’s mouth. 

“Surprisingly, you taste really good.” Mitchell said, laughing to himself.

“Oh, shut up.” Gideon said jokingly, smiling down at Mitchell. “We’d better get up before Ilona gets curious again.”

As Gideon got up to leave the bed, Mitchell felt the reality of tomorrow setting in.

“I love you, Gideon.” Mitchell blurted out loud. His captain froze where he was standing and turned around, staring at Mitchell with that stupid puppy dog look on his face.

“I love you too, Jack.” Gideon said, before walking towards the washroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope you liked it! The next chapter is Friday, so the big decision is going to come into fruition! Let's hope Gideon doesn't get too mad! Thanks for reading, cheers!


	5. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day for Mitchell's surgery has come. How will Gideon react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the final chapter already! I've enjoyed writing this so much, thank you for all the support!

A clock said it was already 16:45, but Mitchell still felt that time wasn’t passing soon enough. The surgery was scheduled to happen in less than half an hour, but Mitchell grew increasingly restless. He didn’t want to risk the possibility of Gideon walking past him, discovering his lie.

“Mitchell? You’re a little early.” broke a deep voice. Looking up from his feet, Mitchell saw that it was Dr. De-Silva, dressed in his pale blue scrubs. “Well, since you’re already here, head over to bay number 7, and get changed into the scrubs left on the counter. I’ll meet you after I’ve been prepped.

Mitchell nervously made his way over to the designated room, only to be startled by Ilona, sitting quietly in a chair by the gurney.

“Goodness, Ilona what are you doing here?” Mitchell asked.

“I came to see you. Come here.” Ilona replied, pulling a surprised Mitchell in for a hug. He wasn’t certain, but he thought he felt Ilona shuddering. Pulling away, Mitchell saw that there were tears in her eyes.

“Oh come on Ilona, it’s not going to be that bad. Everything will work out just fine.” Mitchell said, attempting to also comfort himself.

“I know.” Ilona stated, staring at her feet. “I wish Gideon could’ve seen you.”

Before Mitchell had time to process his guilt, Dr. De-Silva entered the room. Taking the cue, Ilona left, giving Mitchell one last hurried hug. 

“Good luck.” she whispered.

“Alright Mitchell, if you could lay down on the gurney, a nurse is going to wheel you into the operating room. Good luck Mitchell.” Dr. De-Silva said.

* * *

 

“Where the fuck is he?!” Gideon shouted, storming down the hall. His eyes spelled anger and confusion, his entire body tense and shaking. Ilona stood up from her seat, making an attempt to calm the captain down. 

“Gideon, please settle down, they’re going to throw you out.” Ilona insisted.

“Joker already told me everything! Ilona, please! I have to see him.” Gideon pleaded. He was on the verge of breakdown, tears welling up fast, voice cracking under the desperation. 

“Gideon, Mitchell will be fine. He’s strong, you know that.” Ilona explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Ilona?! You knew about this!” Gideon demanded.

“Gideon, you know exactly why! Look at yourself!” Ilona answered bluntly. With that, Gideon’s entire demeanour changed. Shoulders dropping, he let the tears he’d been holding in fall down his face.

“He lied to me, Ilona.” Gideon reminded.

“And let me remind you that you once almost betrayed us. Let me remind you that Mitchell stuck with you. He forgave you even before I did, and I’ve known you longer than he has! He never gave up hope that you had good intentions; that you had a plan. You need to have the same faith, Gideon. He’s doing this for you. It’s all so that he can protect _you_.” she fired back. Ilona’s usually composed stature was shaking violently, the stress and anxiety from both Gideon and Mitchell becoming too overwhelming. After a long pause, Gideon spoke again.

“It feels just like that time we took down Irons in New Baghdad. He’s left me again, leaving me unable to do anything but watch. Except this time, he did it without my command. I didn’t even get to kiss him goodbye.” he said, his voice trailing off. Gideon brought his hands up to face, drowning in his misery.

“Gideon, that’s because you’re not saying goodbye. It’s just a surgery, he’ll be fine. I promise.” Ilona comforted. Gideon looked up to meet her gaze, happy that she was there with him. Gideon knew she was right, he just needed to hear the affirmation from someone other than the little voice inside his head.

“Geez, Mitchell really has torn down all your walls, hasn’t he?” she added jokingly. She was relieved to see that her joke managed to crack a smile out of the old captain.

“Yeah, the bastard really has. Fuck me.” he chuckled to himself.

* * *

“The results are inconclusive, we won’t know if the prosthetic has been properly installed until the rest period has terminated. As far as I can tell, it was a success. Shockingly, the nerve endings were in good shape and I did manage to order in a different prosthetic being developed here in the US by the Google biomechanics facility. It relies less on direct connections to nerve endings and attempts to read brain waves, which are received wirelessly via a transmitter we’ve implanted at the top of the spinal column. Hopefully it all works out, seeing as Mitchell is no stranger to testing beta technology. We’ll have him in for testing in a few days, where we can program his firmware. You’re free to go in and see him.” Dr. De-Silva explained.

“Thank you, doctor. We can never repay you enough.” Gideon thanked.

“It’s my job.” said Dr. De-Silva, smiling, before leaving down the hall. Gideon hesitantly stood at the door, contemplating whether he should enter. Ilona had gone back to her quarters earlier, since she had a training session to attend in the morning. Taking in a deep breath, Gideon grabbed the door handle and let himself into Mitchell’s room. The private was laying peacefully in bed, head lolled to the side. The new prosthetic was wrapped under a soft microfibre cast, yet to be revealed. Grabbing the nearest chair, Gideon sat himself down next to Mitchell’s bed.

“Don’t you ever fucking pull something like that on me again, private.” Gideon threatened quietly. He stared at Mitchell’s sleeping form, feeling relief wash over his body. “You’re bloody lucky Dr. De-Silva did such an ace job.”

Slowly, Mitchell began to stir from his sleep, his eyes slowly opening to be greeted by a tired Gideon. Instantly, Mitchell felt the guilt building up in his chest.

“I’m sorry, Gideon.” he whispered.

“No, I’m sorry.” Gideon replied. “I shouldn’t have pressured you into waiting. Thank you for doing all of this for me. But please, for the love of God, don’t ever do this again.”

“Deal.” Mitchell agreed. “So, how are the results? Did it work?”

“We’re not actually sure yet. Doc said you’ll have to wait until your recovery period is over.” Gideon explained. Mitchell’s face fell, disheartened that the surgery wasn’t an immediate runaway success. Gideon caressed Mitchell’s face, turning it back to face him.

“Hey, babe, no matter what happens, it will be okay. If it works, I’d be glad to have you back as my partner in battle. Even if it doesn’t work, I know you’ll be watching over me from HQ. You won’t lose me, Jack, I promise.” Gideon reassured. “I love you.”

Gideon leaned in, softly kissing Mitchell on the forehead. Mitchell reached out with his right arm and grabbed Gideon’s.

“I love you too.” Mitchell whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story! Send me some suggestions if you have anything you'd like me to write, and let me know what you thought of this fic! Cheers!


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